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FPS COST Action FP0601
Forest Management and the Water Cycle (FORMAN)

The Action aims at the enhancement of knowledge on forest-water interactions in Europe, and the elaboration of science-based guidelines for the improvement of the management of forests predominantly designated for the production and storage of water. Forest-water interactions comprise the water resource aspect and also the problem of potential hazard to the human population. Along river systems and in their larger floodplains, peak flow rates may entail devastating floods. It is speculated that the frequency and intensity of such floods are currently increasing owing to global climatic change and a concomitant amplification of extreme weather situations. Water regulation contributing to flood control, and water supply by forest soils and aquifers are among the most prominent forest ecosystem services. However, these are potentially at risk under a changing climate and changing management practices. The state of knowledge concerning actual risk is still very limited. This COST Action will pull together the enormous potential of forest- and water-related research in Europe in an integrated interdisciplinary approach. Thus, it will contribute to overcoming the currently existing fragmentation. Keywords: forest-management, water resource, flood control, global change, mitigation